How to request a refund for an iTunes or App Store purchase

Whether you purchased something by mistake, got double billed, or feel like you didn't get what you paid for, if there ever comes a time when you need to ask for a refund from iTunes or the App Store, here's how to do it!

How to get a refund from iTunes or the App Store

Launch iTunes on either your Mac or PC.

Click on your name at the top and in the dropdown select Account Info.

Type in your password when prompted in order to proceed.

Click on See All under your Purchase History.

Click on the arrow next to the purchase batch that contains the purchase you'd like a refund for.

Click on Report a Problem next to the single purchase you'd like a refund for, unless there is only one, then you may use the large Report a Problem button.

You will be routed to Apple's website. Just follow the steps after signing in and request the Refund option and explain why.

iTunes typically won't refund purchases that are over 90 days old. Once you've made your request, you'll get a confirmation email. Valid refund requests are typically processed within a day or two.

Reader comments

How to request a refund for an iTunes or App Store purchase

Thanks, Aly. Does the same procedure apply for music? I'd love to see a "try and buy" policy put in place. $.99 for an app is one thing, but $12 for an album you end up hating because you were given bad advice via Facebook is a different story.

That's asking a little too much. You already CAN try before you buy and have been able to for a long time. iTunes gives insanely long song snippets for virtually every song they sell. That's your try before you buy if you ask me.

LMAO, stop, just please stop! I just cant even.............
You have just won the award for most ridiculous comment I have ever read on iMore (& probably "TIPB"days too). I can't even begin to type an actual response to this, sorry.

I accidentally bought Keynote and Numbers for $9.99 each after a fresh install of iOS 7 Beta 3 when a page popped up asking me to download these Apple Apps, ie: iBooks, iTunesU, Podcast etc. I tapped ok, put in my password and everything started downloading. Was never asked to confirm the two $9.99 purchases tho. Well I contacted Apple and they were very helpful and refunded my accidental purchases.

Apple will only allow up to 3 refunds in your lifetime (I think). I received this email from them when I tried requesting for a refund in 2011 (21 months after my prior request):

> Dear Rathijit,
>
> I've carefully considered your request for a refund. While I understand
> this purchase was unintentional, your account history shows a previous
> refund for an accidental purchase on March 26, 2009. Because the iTunes
> Store has already made an exception to the Terms of Sale for you, I cannot
> grant you a refund for this purchase.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Kate

Seems like a decent policy to me. It's the same thing that a lot of the bigger stores do when you return items, they ask for your ID or info/name & it goes into the system which I assume throws some sort of red flag up if you abuse the return policy.

-how people buy apps "by mistake" so many times is always something that baffled me. I understand 1 time or OCCASIONALLY the "kids excuse" (which is a whole 'nother discussion we had on here a few months ago). But a grown person making so many purchase errors??? Seems to be either a bit "fishy" or the person in question (even tho they might be grown/mature) probably shouldn't have the power to purchase if they are confused so easily.

Yeah, I agree with and accept Apple's policy. My excuse for 3 requests was that I purchased the apps and then found out they did not have the features I expected them to have in a span of <3 years (I spend a lot on apps, so it's easy to hit that limit in that period). I'd say that's because of insufficient documentation, which is not Apple's fault. That being said, I'd really like it if Apple introduces a 'try before you buy' feature for apps.

Apple charges a 30% commission on all paid apps sold through the App Store. So basically, developers get 70% of a given sale but if the end-user wants a refund, the developer has to pay Apple 100% of the sale.

I just bought a music track with a fault on it today. It appears that you can't report a problem until Apple have actually invoiced you for the items (i.e. not immediately after purchase). You have to go back later and try again.

Problem here too - though can't even "report a problem" with this version of iTunes on my PC (11.0.4.4). The most recent purchase (I want to get refunded) shows up, above the list - but selecting it, or 'report a problem' button has no effect. Any ideas?

I think Apple should do something with the app store like google does with the play store. You have fifteen minutes from the time an app finishes downloading to get a refund, and a lot of times the developers will extend that time slot if you email them

I bought Minecraft, thinking that it was going to be cool but instead it was really hard to control and not fun at all compared to the PC version, it spent all my iTunes money and i don't even want it, it won't let me get my money back though... i tried this but it wouldn't let me

i really understand you.. the devs really choose the best looking pictures and make an adorable description, but in the and the app sucks. or games do net even tell you what kind of game it is, only the story and the superb graphics.. i know, i know, i could google it, but come on, it sucks to google everything i do. why the hell not let users try the app for free and the you can make your decision. yeah, like the Play Store does.. sorry Apple, but Google rules on this! but i know why Apple does it this way. simply MORE CA$H! because people want never stop buying apps they never really going to use. they will also not google it every time. and so they spend some $ every year they would not spend if they could get a refund. this turns out to be a lot $$$ if every guy do so.

btw: 2do-apps are a good example. they promise heaven, but in the end they suck all in a way, even the very expensive ones :P

The simple fact with Apple, is that you should use a CREDIT card, backed by VISA or MASTERCARD for protection, that way, if an app does not work in the way described, or features are removed etc after you purchase it, you can simply ask them to implement a refund on your behalf...!!! This certainly works in the UK with card protection, i would of thought the protection would be the same everywhere....

I'm pretty sure the I'm going to have to bite the bullet on this one. I purchased Omnifocus Mac app and iPhone app, based on recommendations from at least a dozen different blogs Apple forums posts saying how great it was. Since Omnifocus so complicated, to say the least, I didn't have time to try it out for several weeks.

When I finally got to go through the tutorial videos, documentation, and blogs that explained how to set it up and use it, I realized that there was no way that I'd ever be able to dedicate enough time to the app for it to be useful. It's been sitting on my Macbook and iPhone for months reminding me of how much money I wasted.

I switched back to the Reminder app, lesson learned on that part. But I would like to get some/all of my money back for an app that I ended up not using. It's been months though. My life is one of those that it's busy enough to take weeks or even a month to sit down and write a blog post. Anyways, thanks for reading, and buyer beware!

Thanks for your post! I'd have never came to think it was iTunes app the way to ask for a Mac App Store refund... bad for Apple (shouldn't they give access to such options in the Mac App Store as well as through iTunes App?!?) but great to see I could ask for a refund on a crappy app I had just bought (it was sold as a Google Keep "app" but was nothing but a window opening a web session on your behalf... so no local notes nor configurations... crap!)

What if your boyfriend is a complete and utter f****** idiot who thinks it'd be a great idea to spend £70(!!) in 2 WEEKS(!!) on albums when we're already £200 down on bills that are due out tomorrow!?!?!? I realise Apple probably don't see this as an acceptable reason for a refund but you never know! Failing that I could always kill him and claim on the life insurance!!

Cover art for Facebook app told me for months back and forth til now this link to request yet again a full refund I spent multiple amounts of different money different times and final 9.99 for full access of cover art to decorate my Facebook page?! May I finally recieve my refund in full for this no longer existing app?! Ty

I once rented a movie while on the public beta and it didn't let me watch it. I contacted Apple who said they forwarded the glitch to the OS X team and gave me a movie coupon. I couldn't find out what that is anywhere but I think that it means I can rent any movie for free.

That's brilliant, I just asked for a refund for the pro version of Alien Blue costing £1.49 as I could not see any difference from the free version and they instantly credited the money directly back to my bank account. No questions asked. I never knew you could do this. Thanks iMore.